Plugged-in flight?

On my cross-country United flight home on Friday, the cabin crew announced that this plane was equipped with something I’d never seen before: power outlets under every seat. Not just First Class, and not special round plugs that require a $99 adapter—but real, everyday three-prong outlets under every threesome of seats in the entire plane.

What took the industry so long? Planes should have had power outlets 20 years ago.

Amen.

I’m flying to San Francisco on Wednesday. I could have flown United, but I would have arrived in San Francisco at 11 pm local time which would have killed me with the time zone difference. So I’m going Continental instead. What are the chances that they have power outlets in coach, too? I didn’t think so.